Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills: Book Review

 *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

For the past five years, FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs has worked in the violent crimes against children division of the Houston FBI. She’s never had reason to believe there’s a target on her back . . . until now.

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. You can download a list of her published titles by clicking here.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a former director of Blue Ridge Christian Writers, and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She shares her passion for helping other writers be successful by teaching writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com.

This one drew me in right from the start with Risa's reunion with her brother... and I found myself surprised at just how quickly the action began... in a way I admittedly didn't see coming at that moment. What a way to start a story! There was a LOT going on in this book. At first, it seemed like there were multiple stories going and I questioned how it all was going to tie together... but little by little more was revealed to make it all come together and make sense in the end. Dealing with babies being kidnapped, this was definitely one that I found harder for me to read as a mom. It's certainly not a lighthearted topic, that's for sure! There was also a brief mention of suicide. While I had to step away a few times, I thought the story was so well done and it kept me intrigued and wondering what was going to happen next. There were some really great mentions of faith in this story, and I felt like that really helped to balance the tougher topics. There is definitely a good deal of romance in the mix as well, which I loved... but I definitely felt like the suspense was the star of this book. 

If you enjoy Christian suspense, this is certainly one worth checking out.